Your party’s trips back to town can be real snoozers. Thank goodness there’s lot of ways to fix this common game-drag problem. As a DM, Ben drops in a couple buildings and simple accessories to give these otherwise humdrum affairs a real boost.

When you build street scenes, a whole new world of intrigue opens up. You can add new side quests. Run a skill challenge (courtesy of This is my Game). Or, drop in a little more story dialogue interaction. Any or all of these module ideas brightens up game play and enhances the main plot.

And anyways, BensRPGPile.com was long overdue for another building review. This time Ben thought a simple, yet effective multi-use structure would do the trick. Ben snagged this cottage from Miniature Building Authority at an earlier Gen Con. He’s used this pre-painted, out-of-the-box piece to represent an out-of-the-way outpost and a general store.

MBA’s superior quality and attention to detail once again shine through. A few of these buildings are a must for any Dungeon Master’s arsenal. Pop open a box, place it on a Battlemat and let your imagination take you the rest of the RPG way.

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D&D publishes its third and final miniatures set of 2009 in the new box format – Monster Manual: Savage Encounters.

Ben digs this Monster Manual theme as it reaps an absolute bountiful harvest of miniature goodness. Each booster mini count is still the same as its 2009 predecessors (5 per pack, 1 visible, 8 different packs in all).

So here’s our Savage top five: Sorrowsworn Reaper (put the “bad” in “bad ass”), Tiefling Necromancer (total package: great pose, paint job and detail), Zombie Hulk (green is in), Death Giant (an adventurer’s first instinct is to run away), and the Angel of Valor Legionnaire (perfect use of clear plastic).

And here’s our un-saveagely bottom five: Bloodspike Behemoth (dinosaurs are for dime stores), Bodak Skulk (looks like an alien sighting from the deep south), Githyanki Mindslicer (enough already on this lame race), Legion Devil Legionnaire (think a toy eraser from the school store), and the Skeletal Tiefling (a total leaner – too thin).

With no Players Handbook Heroes III set anywhere to be found (last released on July 2009) but rumored to be set for release in February 2010, it seems likely that a shuffle of the overall format might again occur in 2010. Still, it’s been a great year and let’s just hope miniatures stick around for another one.

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Ben believes a kill on the battle map needs to be celebrated and properly noted. Sure, you could just tip your mini over and crudely call it a dead body but where’s the proper bliss and recognition in that? You own that square – now show it!

Dragonfire Laser Crafts makes the perfect corpse marker. Their death symbol is part of their RPTiles series and more specifically, comes in their Crypt Tiles set. Ben got sneaky though and was able to purchase an extra clump of singles out of their “bit box” by visiting their booth at GenCon earlier this year.

To mix it up, we also use the coffin marker (also part of the Crypt Tile set) to symbolize the bigger kills on the board. After all, those bosses or especially pesky monsters earned the right to have a fancier tombstone.

The Dragonfire corpse tile also allows for easy stacking of multiple bodies. This function is key as our game group’s house rule says two or more bodies in the same space makes it difficult terrain.

Great stuff, fellow gamers…and remember, it’s the little accessory touches that ultimately set your game board apart from the others

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Every DM reaches a point in their game where they decide to throw up a terrain Hail Marry. For Ben, he wanted to seal the deal on his Thunderspire Chamber of Eyes dungeon with a memorable piece of terror.

The assembly components touched on all the building basics including:

▪ Dire Vampire Wolf: D&D Miniatures Unhallowed.
▪ Rocks: Concrete Rubble Mix from GaleForce nine.
▪ Floor terrain & Accessories: Hirst Arts molds (#203 & #85)
▪ Chain: Michaels Craft Store
▪ Paints: Games Workshop series (Graveyard Earth, Silver, Blood Red, & Chaos Black)
▪ Flock: Grass and Dirt ground cover from Skullcrafts.

Ben’s finishing touches included body parts from the land of misfit minis (the bit box at Gamers’ Inn). He also grabbed an old toothbrush (and not his wife’s existing one) for the ominous blood spatter effect.

So now Torog’s Shrine has a focal terrain piece that is sure to make the party shat themselves. Pick a big battle in your own module and one up, Ben. If he can do it, so can you.

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The Thanksgiving holiday seem like a perfect time for another installment of our hand painted miniatures. Ben just can’t paint to that ridiculously fine point of detail so he continuously gives thanks to the master craftsmen who can.

The second set of our multi-part metal minis installment includes a gnawing Dwarven skeleton, a mischievous human thief, an evil demon lord, and a brave human fighter.

Ben pulled all these beauties out of the Gamers’ Inn display case during separate joyous store runs. Ya just never know when some gems will poke through the trade-in rubble. You need to survey and sift.

Price varies but typically you’re looking at anywhere from $4 to $15 a mini (depending on the quality of the paint job and popularity of the mini). You can always check out eBay for online finds.

Ben loves to use his unique metal figs as special characters or heroes in his Dungeon and Dragons 4E battles. It raises the party’s kill salivation and also lets the group know the DM means “bitness”.

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Stand down! We got ogres ahead! Ah yes – another sensational find from the Gamers’ Inn miniatures case. These babies didn’t even make it onto the shop floor. Ben caught them counter-side (sometimes one needs to be all specials-ops and shit).

Games Workshop actually makes a whole slew of ogres as part of their Kingdoms line. And while Ben is mesmerized by their amazing detail, he came to terms with his own personal miniature painting skills many moons ago. Walls and such are no problem but faces and body parts require too steady a hand. The easier move is to simply to find ‘em and buy ‘em all gussied up.

You have to truly love the details of this find. Everything from the ground cover on the base to the fancy weaponry to the min goblin squad leader on the basket of the flag pole signifies the work of a master craftsman.

Ben used a few of these “guys” to assist Brugg in the initial party confrontation inside the Seven-Pillared Hall of Thunderspire Labyrinth. A final showdown seems likely.

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There’s just no fancy or right way to describe this week’s entry. They’re perturbed skeletons and well, they’re really big. Ben doesn’t have a manufacturer, official, product name, or even a link.

This type of back-alley acquisition happens from time to time though. Whether you spot a prized addition in your local game store’s trade-in case, get a b-day gift from a fellow gamer (thanks Presto), or uncover the item at a distant garage sale, your item still deserves its props.

Ben used these guys as animated statues in the Chamber of Statues room (Area 16, pg. 72) of the Keep on the Shadowfell module. It worked really well and received some well-deserved “oh’s and ah’s” from the game group.

Ben’s particularly partial to the archer and his actual stringed bow in terms of looks but thinks the dude with the ax would deliver the biggest blow.

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D&D releases its first huge series in many, many moons. One would have to go all the way back to Against the Giants.

The second full 4E set once again spans 40 miniatures (5 per pack, 8 different packs in all). Seven slick huge minis are visible in the packaging. And since it’s a huge set, Ben had to fork out $19.79 for a booster but the mins were worth every hard-earned penny.

Ben’s game group is jumping into Thunderspire and this set provided lots of nice D&D miniature enhancement options (including the Duergar Cleric, Duregar Guard, Goblin Cutter, and Doomdreamer). The Irontooth mini from Shadowfell was a wonderful, sentimental touch.

So here’s our top five: Beholder Ultimate Tyrant (finally a beholder that makes Ben crap his pants), Storm Titan (love the added effects on the base – hopes it’s a trend), Balor (gets a Lord of the Rings likeness nod), Psychic Sentinel (Ben lost – a majority game group vote prevailed) and Talon Slaad (eyes, belly & teeth do all the right things).

And here’s our bottom five: Bolraza, Priestess of Bane (bitch please…lame), Githzerai Cenobite (never ever use this mini type), Githzerai Mindmage (see Cenobite), Rimefire Griffon (liquid paper paint job), and Human Rabble (has too much of a Gaston-Beauty-&-the-Beast look).

Legendary Evils is a truly amazing set (easily one of Wizard’s best ever). Ben anguished over each and every pick. Grab a case and enjoy.

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D&D goes big baddy-style with their first monster manual miniatures release entitled Dangerous Delves. The second 4E set spans 40 miniatures (5 per pack, 8 different packs in all) with some of the randomness removed. Seven rather nice minis are visible in the packaging so it’s rather easy to complete a full set or target your favorite sculpts.

The paint jobs continue to improve but the re-paints of previous set miniatures still annoys (after you swallow the price increase). Ben longs for the days of the $8 Harbinger booster.

We’re huge fans of releasing new miniatures that go with the first Keep on the Shadowfell module series. Kruthik Youngs, a Kobold Wyrmpriest, Goblin Sharpshooters can drop into your D&D setting with ease. Let’s hope this trend continues with future sets and module releases.

So here’s our top five: Skalamd the Troll King (how a Troll should truly look), Kobold Wyrmpriest (Shadowfell nostalgia pick), Goblin Delver (such a sneaky bastard), Blood Scarab (incorporating terrain into the mini is a slick touch) and Xen’drik Drow Stingblade (best drow yet).

And here’s our bottom five: Aboleth Slime Mage (something you throw back on a fishing trip), Unicorn (no D&D man plays this mini), Harpy (major lean), Beholder Eye Tyrant (too many already and its terrible base induces lean-age), and Banshrae Warrior (has a girl scout troop vibe).

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After a traumatic product line shift and long layoff, D&D Miniatures returns with a whole new packaging system and rules format (sorry skirmish vets). Player’s Handbook Heroes is the first set exclusively developed for Fourth Edition.

The first set totals 18 miniatures (3 per pack, 6 packs in all) and the randomness removed. All the figures are completely visible. Another forty-piece set will be released in May entitled Monster Manual: Dangerous Delves. Thus, they’ve taken a full set and spread it over two months.

The paint jobs including the faces are much better so the higher price isn’t a huge deal. However, taking previous sculpts and essentially re-painting them is a big bummer. And Ben also thinks they went a little over board on all the chick minis.

Here’s our top five: Male Goliath Barbarian (you see him, you run), Male Elf Ranger (love the bird), Female Eladrin Sorcerer (nice use of see-through blue), Male Human Cleric (love the paint job), and Male Dwarf Paladin (total package).

And here’s our bottom five: Female Elf Druid (lame pose), Male Half-Elf Fighter Warlock (too much Flash Gordon), Male Tiefling Warlock (two words – ham hock), Female Eladrin Wizard (powder puff), and Male Human Fighter (light as a feather).

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